I was reading in the paper the other day about something that got me thinking. Dalton McGuinty (you may not have heard of him, he's a Canadian politician who I'm not very fond of) proposed teaching the basics of sex ed. in Grade 1 and start getting in depth in Grade 3 in Canadian schools. Due to it's controversial manner, the idea wasn't accepted... yet.

Let me say that I think this idea is so stupid, I can feel my temperature rising. I'm going to use my upbringing as an example (please be aware I'm not trying to glorify myself, but it's the most convenient example), I knew the full story of how babies are made when I was about eleven-twelve, although I knew bits and pieces before then. It isn't like I was being blinded. Now that I'm older, I place ideals like chivalry pretty highly, but far too many kids who have been spoon-fed this stuff as soon as they could comprehend it are sexually immoral.

I think the reason for this is that when you don't know what the full story is, it makes it a mystery. You're not sure what the heck it is, but at any rate, it is definitley not to be taken lightly. It has signifigance.

Now am I saying children should be completely in the dark? Absolutely not! They need to know about those particular areas of their bodies so they'll know if someone is over stepping their bounds. But for goodness' sake, let them just be kids after that. If you want to gradually reveal it, fine, but that is the last things kids need to be thinking about. They haven't even experienced feelings or emotions related to the subject (and if they have, that's a product of kids being forced to grow up too fast from things like this).

It might not even be as big of a deal if they bothered to teach about sexual morality (or is that old fashioned now? ), instead of just the biology of it.

I certainly know where I stand on this issue, but I'm wondering what you guys thought._________________
Where sky and water meet,
Where the waves grow sweet,
Doubt not, Reepicheep,
To find all you seek,
There is the utter east.

Last edited by Reepicheep on Mon Apr 26, 2010 5:59 pm; edited 2 times in total

Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 4:36 pm

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comanderblyMaster

Joined: 29 Feb 2008Posts: 745Location: Denver

I would need to know more before I comment yes or no. I am not totally against the idea of stepping up sex ed to an earlier age. Times have changed and access to information (both good and bad) is considerable. I think in some ways TV and pop culture push and present sex in the wrong light. A big part of growing up is coming to terms with both sex and sexuality. Its something everyone deals with well into adulthood. SSSSoooo, I think it depends on how you go about it. That said, I am also surprised it would be introduced that early. I had my sex education in 7th grade. We had a day of sex ed in 5th grade but it was very technical stuff.

I believe sex ed is the responsibility of parents, not the school system. They should be the ones to decide when their children are ready to learn these things._________________All things die, Anakin Skywalker, even stars burn out.

Those without swords can still die upon them

Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 7:24 am

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Darth SkuldrenModerator

Joined: 04 Feb 2008Posts: 6953Location: Missouri

Well my mom had that talk with me when I was like 4 or 5, though I don't really remember the actual conversation. Nonetheless, I basically had an idea of how things worked, and over the years it became clearer and clearer and made more sense. We didn't have a sex ed event in school until late 5th grade, and there were no sex ed classes, just that sex ed day, that was it.

The way tv is today, heck, just the commercials, it's almost a must that kids have some idea of what sex is, even at a young age. But I agree with Padme, this is the sort of thing that falls under the parents' responsibility. Now days there are too many people shoving off responsibility onto others and not enough people willing to bear the responsibility themselves._________________
"I believe toys resonate with us as humans, we can hold them, it's tactile, real! They are totems for our extended beliefs and imaginations. A fetish for ideas that hold as much interest and passion as old religious relics for some. We display them in our homes. They show who we are. They are signals for similar thinking people. A way we connect with each other...and I guess thats why I do toys. That connection." -Ashley Wood

Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 9:52 am

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comanderblyMaster

Joined: 29 Feb 2008Posts: 745Location: Denver

Queen Padmè Skywalker wrote:

I believe sex ed is the responsibility of parents, not the school system. They should be the ones to decide when their children are ready to learn these things.

But do you really think enough parents are doing that? I dunno I feel like a lot of parents have trouble with this kind of stuff. Ideally I think it should take place at home, realistically I am not so sure it would work.

Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 10:48 am

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Old Master BenAdministrator

Joined: 10 Nov 2007Posts: 2259Location: Georgia

comanderbly wrote:

Queen Padmè Skywalker wrote:

I believe sex ed is the responsibility of parents, not the school system. They should be the ones to decide when their children are ready to learn these things.

But do you really think enough parents are doing that? I dunno I feel like a lot of parents have trouble with this kind of stuff. Ideally I think it should take place at home, realistically I am not so sure it would work.

No, enough parents probably are not. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't. Enough parents are probably not disciplining their children properly either; that's why we have all these snotty little brats running around. Nobody tells them no. And if a parent doesn't even have the guts to tell a kid no, they probably don't have the guts to educate them about sex. So while it is the parent's responsibility, I agree that it is not realistic to think that the majority of parents do it.

I'm also okay with the school teaching it. School is the place for you to become educated. They have health classes - just teach it then. The question of when to teach it is something I'm not sure on. Like VileZero said, even if you teach it in middleschool, the kids will be immature about it. They won't take it seriously. Perhaps a younger age is better? When kids will listen and not be too busy laughing about it to really pay attention? On the other hand, will the young child retain that information? And highschool is way too late; kids will have figured it out by then on their own if nobody else will teach them. So that is a tough question.

Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 10:49 am

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ReepicheepMaster

Joined: 05 Feb 2008Posts: 7924Location: Sailing into the unknown

Maybe they should've reconsidered being parents then...

I wouldn't say sex ed. is a must because of the media though. What will it hurt if they don't understand one more dumb commercial._________________
Where sky and water meet,
Where the waves grow sweet,
Doubt not, Reepicheep,
To find all you seek,
There is the utter east.

Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 2:27 pm

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VileZeroMaster

Joined: 21 Mar 2010Posts: 818Location: Washington DC

But when you're a kid, you've got that innocence about you. The sooner you get pulled into the adult world, the sooner you live it.

And who wants to be an adult?

Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 3:30 pm

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kurtdcMaster

Joined: 15 May 2008Posts: 602Location: boston

Well, I think sex ed is the responsibility of the parents. If you can't handle that, don't have kids. School should not be involved until high school, when you are actually learning the biological process. At most, it should be an elective, after school thing, maybe as early as 6th grade or so, but would have to be signed off on by the parents.

I personally was exposed to too much stuff, too young(thanks to very young and lacking of common sense parents). I got caught with a playboy in 2nd grade and thought sex and relationships all worked like they do in porn. Needless to say I had a lot of learning to do on my own due to my lack of proper role models and no school education(catholic school) in this matter.

So, about a month ago my 10 year old brings up the sex topic(in a sort of comical, roundabout way). I proceed to give the very scientific version of what goes where/how babies are made/ etc. My very naive and loveable son says, "so you and mommy had sex 2 times?"(we have two kids). I had to explain that not every time ends in pregnancy, along with responsibility, being with someone you love, etc. It was a weird, awkward situation.

But if I didn't do this, his ideas would flow from things he heard in school, bits and pieces of stuff he catches on TV(and boy do a lot of things end up on TV that really shouldn't). I grew up with some very warped ideas of how things worked, and it is MY responsibility, not the school's, to make sure he knows the real deal in a way he can understand. And I basically left the conversation on the note of assuring him he can keep coming to me with any questions he ever has, no matter how awkward it feels to either of us.

There's my long winded 2 cents.

Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 4:03 pm

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ReepicheepMaster

Joined: 05 Feb 2008Posts: 7924Location: Sailing into the unknown

VileZero wrote:

But when you're a kid, you've got that innocence about you. The sooner you get pulled into the adult world, the sooner you live it.

And who wants to be an adult?

Exactly. Childhood is important and it is, at least in its unadulterated entirety, is disappearing fast.

But like I said in my original post, I also have issues with how they teach it, as well as how soon. Quoting C.S. Lewis (sorry if I sound like a broken record, but he has a lot of good points, okay )
"Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil. "
And it's true, what good is it teaching kids the mere Biology of it and telling them to have at it?_________________
Where sky and water meet,
Where the waves grow sweet,
Doubt not, Reepicheep,
To find all you seek,
There is the utter east.

Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 4:17 pm

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Jedi JoeMaster

Joined: 11 Jun 2009Posts: 1660

My dad sat me down and explained to me everything about sex when I was 9.

I think that school should teach the basics of it if they say you shouldn't have it before marriage. Christian or not, it isn't smart.

A whole class though? No, put it in with health class as OMB said._________________Darth Vegas the unwise...

My mom had a talk with me when I was 12. It's better than learning about it from sex ed class. I think parents are copping out by sending their kids off to learn about it at school. I think it's also important that parents be open to questions so kids won't be embarrassed and go to someone else. Unfortunately, that's how my parents make me feel about it to this day, which is why I knew about it from a friend before my mom gave me the talk. But I still think it's the parents' responsibility, even if mine waited too long to talk about the actual process, they still gave me the values they needed to (and I've worn a purity ring since I was 16). This is why schools shouldn't be involved in sex ed. There's no way they can gave every student values that match up with the parents' beliefs._________________All things die, Anakin Skywalker, even stars burn out.

Those without swords can still die upon them

Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 2:26 pm

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ReepicheepMaster

Joined: 05 Feb 2008Posts: 7924Location: Sailing into the unknown

Well said._________________
Where sky and water meet,
Where the waves grow sweet,
Doubt not, Reepicheep,
To find all you seek,
There is the utter east.

Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 2:29 pm

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comanderblyMaster

Joined: 29 Feb 2008Posts: 745Location: Denver

Queen Padmè Skywalker wrote:

My mom had a talk with me when I was 12. It's better than learning about it from sex ed class. I think parents are copping out by sending their kids off to learn about it at school. I think it's also important that parents be open to questions so kids won't be embarrassed and go to someone else. Unfortunately, that's how my parents make me feel about it to this day, which is why I knew about it from a friend before my mom gave me the talk. But I still think it's the parents' responsibility, even if mine waited too long to talk about the actual process, they still gave me the values they needed to (and I've worn a purity ring since I was 16). This is why schools shouldn't be involved in sex ed. There's no way they can gave every student values that match up with the parents' beliefs.

Yeah its one of those things thats on going - you give kids the basics but have to keep the 'conversation' going as they grow up.